naples and surroundings with toddler

[rikita]

we have finally booked our flights! yay! after having had to cancel our plans to go to italy last year, i am very excited that this year it will work out. we will still have to budget very well, so i am thinking of booking rooms via airbnb rather than hotel websites, and my idea is staying a few days in naples (where we fly into), and then a bit at one or two other places not too far away (we are going for two weeks, end of august to mid-september) ... the main plan is to visit pompeji, as mr. r. has been wanting to go there for years ...

so this thread for now is asking for italy-tips especially when traveling with a toddler, and for tips for naples and surroundings (am reading the guide book of course, and already making lists of places to visit, but wouldn't mind hearing of other people's experiences) ... of course there will be some pictures later on when we've been there ...

some questions, hope they are not too silly ...
how noisy or chaotic should we expect naples to be? a. is used to city life, though berlin tends to not be too crowded, at least in our area ... can you let your child walk by herself when sightseeing?
we are planning to also bring a small stroller, but just our foldable one which has tiny wheels, so only works on paved ground. for the city that should be alright, right? for the countryside too? or should i expect to rather carry her on my back (am planning to bring the sling) ...
any beach that is especially child friendly? any hiking that is good with child (i'd carry her part of the way)?
any towns that are especially nice to look for a place to stay? (like, something where it is nice to be there, but also easy to get to other places to visit) ... generally we are not that much into going to the beach, i prefer hiking and mountains and things like that, but a bit of sea is also good ...

okay, that's it for now, will try to think of clearer questions, for now i am too excited ...

[mich64]

Very exciting Rikita! I wish I had something to contribute but I have not been to Italy yet and have never travelled with a child. I think what you are doing by asking for input and reading guide books to prepare yourself will assist you greatly in enjoying your upcoming holiday. I look forward to following this post.

I am currently planning our holiday to Ireland in September. Last year I posted many questions on the Trip Advisor Forums for local help in Germany and Austria and sent PM's to people that had visited sites or stayed in hotels that I was considering. There are many parents on there who provide excellent advice on travelling with children. I also researched websites on particular places once I narrowed my choices.

I am sure there are members here that will able to help you immensely.

Enjoy planning! For myself, I find it rewarding as for when I finally get there, I feel more relaxed and know where I am going and what to expect somewhat. I understand there are many that just like to go and explore but sometimes we need a little structure, especially when travelling with a child.

[Deleted]

I've never been as far south as Naples, and have never traveled with a child, but my only advice is such:

1. Sunscreen!
2. Take advantage of cafes. They may seem expensive at the time, but they are a source of rest, liquid refreshment and toilets.
3. Italians, especially southerners, seem to love children. A. is so charming that you will have no problem.

Bon voyage!

[bjd]

I suggest you have a look at Thorn Tree -- there are really a lot of questions about Naples and the area, also answers from Italians and others familiar with the area.

I went to Naples many years ago, but it was already much more chaotic than Berlin is now.

Lizzie is right about Italians (not just in the south) being very nice to children.

[rikita]

thanks! will check on tt ... and yeah, sunscreen will definitely be in our luggage ...

[lagatta]

Oh, they'll just eat her up! Only certain old parts of Naples are truly chaotic - you've been to other countries that are far less organized than Germany and other Germanic lands.

I've never travelled to Naples with children but I've been in Rome with friends who have small children - twins! Yes, Italians are known for doting on children, but now the country has a very low birthrate.

Sunscreen, but you also know what fabrics can be covering but cooling, having lived in very hot but "modest" countries such as India.

Thorn Tree, perhaps also a site called Slow Travel, where there are a lot of Italy specialists. I'll think of other sources.

[rikita]

thanks ...

trying to come up with an itinerary and realizing i need at least two months, rather than two weeks, to see everything. wanted to skip capri first, because it is so expensive - but it sounds so interesting. and mr. r. wants to see the tiberius place there, and i want to see the blue grotto and the views of the sea and all. and then i read the next thing about the coast further south and want to go there too, and then the next ... vague idea for now is a few days naples, with a visit to campi fieri, then a few days south of naples, with visits to pompeii, herculaneum and mt vesuvius, then one or two nights on capri, then a few more days on the amalfi coast or thereabouts, then back to naples. that'd be four different places to stay, five if you count being in naples twice (unless we go directly to the airport from the amalfi coast, as our flight is at something like 1 pm) ... hm ... i haven't read the whole guide book yet though, so there's bound to be more i want to see ...

[rikita]

have booked several of the accomodations now, but some i am still figuring out - like, we want to stay a few days in sorrento (and explore the amalfi coast from there, and after that go on for a night to capri). now trying to decide which of the possible accomodations to go for: the one with a nice view, the one with a very central location, or the one that is slightly cheaper. we are on a tight budget, after all ... but location can be important too, as the other ones are a few train stops away from sorrento itself, i.e. before getting a bus to the coast or the ferry to capri, we'd still have to take the train for two or three stops. the cheaper one has a garden though, and the one with a nice view is by the sea. (they are all on airbnb) ... which one would you go for?

[htmb]

Personally, if I was traveling with a toddler, I'd go for the one with the garden so she could run around. She won't appreciate the view and you might not have time to enjoy it. But, you know your child. I'd say to pick what works best for your family.